This weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix will be a step into the unknown for virtually the entire field. Only Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa raced at the track in Formula 1 before it fell off the calendar after 2003.

The track fell into bankruptcy and disuse before it was purchased and upgraded by Red Bull and reopened in 2011.

Its dormant period coincides with Ricciardo’s rise through the ranks, meaning he will not turned a competitive lap on the track until practice gets underway on Friday.

“I’ve only driven the Red Bull Ring on filming days, essentially a handful of laps without the out-and-out aggression that you’ll see at the Austrian Grand Prix weekend,” he said.

“It’s a tidy circuit, not the longest and not many corners, but what is there is good.”

The race will be the first since Ricciardo’s maiden F1 win at the Canadian Grand Prix two weeks ago.

“It’s great to be going to Red Bull’s home race after an awesome weekend in Canada,” he added.

“It sounds as though there will be a massive crowd up in the mountains and I’m sure the return of the Austrian Grand Prix will get off to a really good start.”